It seems like smoke and mirrors.https://wolfstreet.com/2019/05/10/house-flipper-zillow-lost-109k-35-per-flip-net-loss-triples-shares-soar/ Sold 414 homes.Sales proceeds added $128.5 million to revenues, for an average selling price of $310,400 per home.The purchase cost of these homes added $122.4 million to cost of sales, for an average purchase price of $295,700 per home.This amounts to an average gross profit (selling price minus purchase cost) of a meager $14,700, or 4.9% per flip.

AC filter, smoke detector batteries - do you change these yourself?  

If the tenant smoked or had pets in the house it’s going to be very apparent when I open that door a few hours later. 

The primer will take care of the smell smoke, pets etc.  

Its more renter proof and any nails holes you can easily plug with a dark sparkle. 

Guessing they are blowing smoke...which would not surprise me in the least.

REI is a numbers game, and the important numbers are NOT the ones with street names behind them...they are the ones with $$$$$ in front of them....Positive $$$$ signs.When the smoke clears...leverage wins.  

@Ryan Turian, best I can tell duplexes are very difficult to make work as pure investment properties for 3 main reasons:There are only 2 units over which to spread the fixed cost (costs the same to mow the lawn at a duplex as it does a 4-plex)Duplexes are the most desirable to owner-occupiers (non-investors) so they tend to go for higher per-unit prices, but that doesn't necessarily translate into higher rents.Zoning laws mean duplexes are more likely to be in more desirable neighborhoods, increasing sales price and making them less likely to cashflow.For the analysis I've done, duplexes just don't make sense as a pure investment unless you get a smoking deal on the purchase price.I think focusing on 3 or 4-plexes, combined with BRRRR is a better way to go.With regards to your questions about CapEx, etc.: Yes, analyze the deal just like you weren't going to live there and see how the numbers work.

I primed white, then painted dark brown.

Here in AZ the inspector meets the landlord and the tenant at the property and does his inspection, it is always a very cordial meeting, they give plenty of notice and he is just checking on the safety of the property (GFI outlets, working smoke detectors,  refrigerator, stove and ovens working, cleanliness and doors/windows opening correctly) I have never had one fail the inspection but I am big on safety also.